This invention relates to a heating pad in combination with a vibratory device for massaging a portion of the anatomy and a control module for controlling the heating pad temperature and the motor in the vibratory device.
Many types of heating pads, in combination with a vibrator and a control module, are known in the prior art.
Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,784, issued Jan. 16, 1973 discloses a heating pad with a removable vibrator wherein both the heating pad and vibrator are controlled by a control module. The vibrator contains a motor with eccentric weights rigidly attached to a flexible vibrating plate. The plate has projections extending from a surface thereof which fit into openings in the heating pad.
The Taylor vibrator is constructed so that not only does the vibrating plate vibrate, but also the vibrator housing. This causes the Taylor vibrator to be vulnerable to dampening when, for example, weight or pressure is applied to the housing. Because of the foregoing, the motor required to achieve a desirable vibration intensity is relatively large and heavy and the power requirements are high. In addition, the vibrator is inconvenient to use since it requires a pad which is made especially to receive the projections on the vibration plate. The control module contains adjustable knobs for controlling the speed of the vibrator and the temperature of the heating pad. The circuitry has resistors and field windings. Thermostats are also provided. There is no means for detachably connecting the vibrator to the control module.
Ross, U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,897, issued July 30, 1957 discloses a vibrator motor associated with a heating pad in a pillow. The motor has a rotary eccentric weight and is resiliently mounted within a housing by means of a plurality of rubber blocks extending between the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the motor. The vibration is conducted through the blocks to the housing.
Various body massagers with vibratory motors are disclosed in Suarez, U.S. Pat. No. 3,068,858, issued Dec. 18, 1962; Carpenter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,911, issued July 29, 1969; and Carruth, U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,474, issued Dec. 17,1974.
Rotary vibration motors are disclosed in Ross discussed above, McMillan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,619, issued Jan. 12, 1960; Eiden, U.S. Pat. No. 3,019,784, issued Feb. 6, 1962; Eiden, U.S. Pat. No. 3,019,785, issued Feb. 6, 1962; Ziff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,203, issued Nov. 6, 1962; Abramovitz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,402, issued Oct. 2, 1973; and Knop, U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,154, issued Mar. 26, 1974.
Cordless vibrators are disclosed in Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,933, issued Feb. 15, 1966; Richardson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,309, issued Dec. 19, 1967; and Tavel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,391, issued June 24, 1969.
Removable vibrators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,032, issued Sept. 21, 1976; Roberts, U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,121, issued Aug. 24, 1971; McElwee, U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,009, issued Sept. 2, 1958; Mabuchi, U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,929, issued Dec. 14, 1976; and Goldfarb, U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,050, issued Mar. 21, 1967.
Heating pads with wire vibrators are disclosed in Parker, U.S. Pat. No. 1,158,834, issued Nov. 2, 1915; and Vecchio, U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,108, issued Aug. 16, 1960.
The prior art above does not teach a vibrator suitable for use with a heating pad having a floating vibrating plate which does not transmit any substantial vibration to the motor housing. In addition there are no control modules taught which are attached to a heating pad and have a transformer/rectifier and a jack for receiving a plug from a vibrator. Also, there are no removable vibrators which are adhered to heating pads by Velcro.
There is a need for a heating pad which can be used with a vibrator which vibrator is not vulnerable to dampening, has a relatively small, light motor with low power requirements, and can be attached by a jack plug to a control module having a transformer/rectifier therein.